This single from Leeds band Cut Out Shapes opens well with an upbeat drum line and tentatively shimmering guitars, though once the vocals kick in it sort of wobbles about a bit. Front man Chris Ward has an interesting style though, words delivered with a slight tremor to his voice and a sneer the rest of the time. Elsewhere he displays a fine line in cooing, etheral backing vocals, these prog-rock moments working far better than the indie riffage, with the closing refrain of ‘Never give yourself away’ falling rather flat compared to the spooky bridge that preceded it.
A decent little tune, but perhaps a bit too unfocused to be a strong enough calling card for this band.
[Rating:2]
